So I went to go see A Star is Born (2018). Having only seen the 1976 version. And little knowing that there were actually THREE other versions of it. My wife loves the story, and enjoys the other versions of the movie.
Faced with a lackluster movie field, I relented, figuring that I would at least enjoy the music from Lady Gaga.
And so, we went to the theater.
Summary:
Jack (Bradley Cooper) is country musician who self medicates: he's a bit past his prime, but still manages to sell out large venues. He finds a beautiful young talent in a bar, Ally (Lady Gaga). She's a young woman who has given up on her dream of fame. Jack takes her on the road with him, and her road to musical stardom begins.Pros (Spoiler Free):
The Songs: Admit it: you came to this movie for the music. And it doesn't disappoint. With Lady Gaga on songwriting duties, that should serve as no surprise. "Shallow" is particularly powerful, allowing Gaga to really dig into her vocal range and lyrical ability. Cooper isn't half bad. This movie is almost certainly going to take Best Original Song at the Academy Awards. Oh, and Gaga singing "La Vie en Rose" was almost worth the price of admission. Almost.Gaga For Gaga: Yeah, I made that joke. She's great. She's effortless and charming and heartfelt, and I wouldn't be shocked if she embarked on a full-time acting career after this. I also wouldn't be surprised if the Academy gave her a statue of her own: consider her a shoe-in for a nomination at the very least. You've never seen Gaga like this: she seems like a completely different person. And that's because she is: Gaga has lived in the public eye for so long in a radical stage persona, that, when she takes that persona off, and all its accoutrements, she is chameleon-like in her ability to inhabit a new space. She's an entertainer, through and through: I am kind of excited to see where she lands next.
Basso Profundo: I love Sam Elliott. He has the best voice in Hollywood. But, here, he proves he has prodigious acting chops, as well. He makes the most of a small part, and I paid attention every time he was on screen. Cooper does a decent job of playing his younger brother, too.
Cooper Behind the Camera: Bradley Cooper is an annoying human being. He is an incredibly handsome man; he is a very talented actor that can move between drama and comedy with skill; he can play the guitar and sing; AND NOW HE DIRECTS FILMS. Jesus. Like... just be bad at something, man. Cooper's direction is solid, and he acquits himself well in the director's chair on his first outing.
SHANGELA!: Jack finds Ally in a drag bar. Drag Queen Shangela plays the owner and steals every scene she is in. She is a delight. Put her in more movies, goddammit.
Cons:
Too Much Time in Close Up: Something was bothering me, and I couldn't quite put my finger on what it was. Then I realized that Cooper spends a great deal of time in close ups on his actors. It makes the film feel claustrophobic. And I understand that it is Jack and Ally's story, and we need to focus on them, but I began to lose track of the rest of the film because we were so tight on the two of them every time they talked. And they talk. A lot.Both Too Long and Too Short: At just over two hours long, the film has a sizable runtime, but it still doesn't feel long enough to really give the proper diligence to such an epic love story. It feels like we just kind of dance through the stages of this relationship. While Cooper and Gaga undeniably have great chemistry, I just don't believe that their love was one for the ages. They still feel like they are dating by the time that they are supposed to be married to one another. I don't know how much time has passed, and their relationship never really evolves. Maybe that's the point? It's a shitty point. But maybe it's the point.
Jack is Less of a Shit: In the Streisand version, Kris Kristofferson plays an epic turd of a man. He really is a danger to himself. The screenwriters toned down Jack's insanity in an effort to make him more relatable to the audience. I think it backfires, though: his arc doesn't exactly feel like a man that ever really reaches rock bottom. He gets low, sure, but the film pussyfoots around his pain and self-destruction (until the very end, and we'll get there, below). In short: I don't think the film earns Jack's end.
* * * SPOILERS BELOW - PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK * * *
Still here? Alright, then...
Suicide as a Telegraphed Plot Device: I saw Jack's death coming a fucking country mile out. And everyone in the theater did, too. And it insulted me. I feel like I've seen this plot a million times. It is insulting that Hollywood keeps telling people with depression and addiction that they won't live. I know people with depression. I know addicts. I know they live. Yes, they also die: I won't pretend that suicide is not an issue, but I am getting tired of Hollywood writing these lazy, insulting suicide arcs that seem to romanticize, and ennoble, an artist's suicide. I actually walked out. I don't really do that. But I walked out. I am tired of toxic men who figure the best interest of their partner is to off themselves. Little realizing that he has potentially thrown another wrecking ball right in her face. To say nothing of the fact that the more difficult, poignant story is to show a husband supporting his wife and soldiering on. To say nothing of the fact that the film never pulls the trigger on Jack's tinnitus: he has increasing troubles hearing people in conversation, but never loses his ability to play music. To say nothing of the fact that Jack goes to rehab and does well at it. The suicide here feels unearned and lazy. I was onboard for this movie, until the last 10-15 minutes, when I absolutely hated it. I still hate it. Sure, you'll say, but the movie is tied to the idea of those "same 12 notes between two bars," that Sam Elliott's character describes: an artist's job is to "see" those bars in a different way. In that way, A Star is Born is just another retelling of the same 12 notes. But that doesn't mean that I like this song, no matter how many times it gets trotted out covered by some new band. Fuck that. Change the notes.
* * * END SPOILERS * * *
In Conclusion:
I hate this movie. I was really feeling it. Right up until the last 10 or 15 minutes. There are genuinely good things about it: Gaga is going to springboard into an acting career, I bet; the soundtrack is legitimately worth a buy; Cooper will direct more films and will become better and better. But that end feels so damned lazy and canned and insulting. It literally unravelled the film's store of good will. A Star is Born is, objectively, a well-made film. The cinematography is good. The acting is top notch. The music is catchy and soulful. But I think it is still possible to not like a thing, despite all of those things. And I don't like this thing.Should You Watch It?
Sure. I don't know. Maybe. Just buy the soundtrack: then you can enjoy Gaga's beautiful music and not have to worry about shitty contrived plot twists.Miscellany:
The National Suicide Prevention Hotline number is 1-800-274-8255. Please call. Please speak.
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